DavidK20 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hey guys. This is my first post!!!!! YAY!!!! [lol] Anyways, Im also new to home brewing. My first brew was the Coopers Pale Ale which was bottled on Thursday 20th December 2012. I have also brewed a cider which I bottled on the 1st January 2013. I have sampled a few bottles of the Pale Ale and Im very impressed. For a first attempt at brewing Im very happy. But Ive noticed that there's a good amount of head at first pour, but the head goes away after about 1-2minutes. Also, the beer isnt flat, because there are still lots of bubbles jumping around in the brew whilst drinking. The only thing I did that wasnt on the instructions was I added 1.5kg of Brew Enhancer 2 instead of 1kg. I prefer stronger alcohol beers and "assumed" adding more brewing sugar would bump up the alcohol. Being a amateur I guess that could be a bad move? Would that effect the head on the beer? I have sterilised everything as well as I believe I could have. I didnt take a hydrometer reading when I pitched the yeast. Once again, because of lack of experience. But once I realised, I took reading the next day. Reading was 1045. FG was 1012. I guessed that OG might have been about 1050? Brewing temp was fairly steady between 24-26 degrees. Im still very pleased with my first attempt, but trying to learn from any mistakes for my next brew. Im planning to brew a India Pale Ale next. I love American IPA's because of the more floral hops. Any tips on brewing that would be much appreciated. Looking at probably dry hopping as well but will do that in the primary because I only have the 1 fermenter tub. Is that a good idea or not? Thanks in advance!!! Cheers- Dave [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Hi Dave, firstly welcome to the wonderful world of home brewing, and the forum! Regarding the head on the beer... it's hard to say. I'd say the first thing you could try is to do with the beer glass. When you wash it, make sure you rinse out any detergent used, I also wipe mine dry after rinsing. You could invest in a "Headmaster" glass, these are sandblasted on the bottom - but the only thing is they make the beer go flat quicker. Generally head retention will get better the longer the beer is aged in the bottles, so once you get a decent stockpile happening this will become easier to do. Dry hopping in primary is fine, most of us on here do it that way and usually add the hops about day 4. One thing I would suggest is, if possible, get the ferment temp down to 18-20 degrees. It will improve your beer out of sight. Brewing at high temps like 24+ can produce off flavours, and fusel alcohols if it gets too high (Hangovers [sick]). Another thing that helps is to leave the beer in primary for about a week after it reaches FG, this allows the yeast to clean up after themselves and the beer to clear a bit more. There are other things you can do to improve your beers like adding extra grains, boiling/steeping hops, trying different yeasts. But I would stick with dry hopping and trying to get that temp down first, there's plenty of time for the rest of it[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Welcome David! If I were to take a guess I would say Kelsey is right. It probably needs more time in the bottle. The instructions suggest that the beer will be carbonated in two weeks but it isn't always the case. It might be fizzy for a while but will go flat quickly and the head will disappear. Give it a couple of weeks more and see the difference. As for IPAs, the Thomas Coopers IPA kit is a cracker. If you want to keep it simple then go with the IPA kit and 1kg light dry malt (or 1.5kg light liquid malt if you want it slightly stronger). Then dry hop it with the hop of your choice. Although it isn't American, Motueka hops are sensational with this kit. And dry hopping in primary is fine and probably the standard practice around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Below is a link to PB2's Moteuka Slam IPA: Moteuka Slam IPA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Below is a link to PB2's Moteuka Slam IPA: Moteuka Slam IPA Because of the love for the Motueka Slam I convinced a mate to make that on the weekend. He was a bit scared but he said the FV smells ridiculously good. Welcome David. I concur with the guys above. More time will equal better head. You can also add malt - that will make a better head. Intead of the extra 05. kg of BE1 get a box of Coopers DME. To make the APA into a simple winner, try the Fruit Salad Ale Cascade hops are a winner [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordEoin Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 The only problem with Fruit salad is the Amarillo hops. THey can be a bit annoying to get your hands on at times. Well.. here anyway. For extra head try 200g wheat DME or steep 300g carapils. Seems to work for me anyway [happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidK20 Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Hey dudes!!! Thanks for the welcome!!!! Also, thanks for the responses and great advice, I really appreciate it!!!! I will leave the Pale Ale for a couple weeks and hopefully the head improves. That Moteuka Slam IPA sounds awesome!!!!! Does anyone know where to buy the Coopers IPA kit in Perth WA? The only IPA kits Ive come across is the Blackrock East India Pale Ale and Mangrove Jack English IPA. Also, does anyone know wehre to get hold of the Moteuka hops? Would using Cascade and Amarillo be okay for dry hopping with the Coopers IPA kit if I can get hold of it? Cheers!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordEoin Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 cascade and amarillo go great together, have a look at the recipe that AdamH linked [happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 The Coopers IPA is only sold in home brew shops and the Coopers online store. You can email Coopers to find a distributed near you (see link below). Coopers Contact You can get Moteuka from Craftbrewer. Craftbrewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidK20 Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 cascade and amarillo go great together' date=' have a look at the recipe that AdamH linked [happy'] awesome mate. checked out that link. thanks AdamH, sounds like a great brew. gonna have to give that a try. also thanks for those links Hairy. Will get the Moteuka hops from Craftbrewer. Looking forward to seeing how the Moteuka Slam IPA turns out. [happy] Now I just gotta figure out how to keep the brew temp down. [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Hello David. Now I just gotta figure out how to keep the brew temp down Here is some Helpful Info discussed recently on the forum, that I believe you will find useful in your current situation. I hope that helps. [happy] Anthony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidK20 Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Hello David. Now I just gotta figure out how to keep the brew temp down Here is some Helpful Info discussed recently on the forum, that I believe you will find useful in your current situation. I hope that helps. [happy] Anthony. Hey Anthony. Thanks heaps for the link to the info mate!!! Looks like it will be really helpful. Will make sure to get stacks of milk bottles filled up with water and freeze them. Cheers dude!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotm Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The only problem with Fruit salad is the Amarillo hops. THey can be a bit annoying to get your hands on at times. Well.. here anyway. Galaxy is a good substitute for Amarillo (if you can't source any). But go the Motueka Slam! Welcome to the forums. If you are conversing with these guys, you are on the way to being a better brewer than you would if you didn't. [happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidK20 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 The only problem with Fruit salad is the Amarillo hops. THey can be a bit annoying to get your hands on at times. Well.. here anyway. Galaxy is a good substitute for Amarillo (if you can't source any). But go the Motueka Slam! Welcome to the forums. If you are conversing with these guys, you are on the way to being a better brewer than you would if you didn't. [happy] Hey "Lotm". Thanks for the welcome mate!!!! Thanks for the info too. I think Galxy hops are pretty easy to come by over here so nice tip to know. Im gonna have a crack at the Moteuka Slam IPA on the weekend. Ive found where I can get the Thomas Cooopers IPA can from, its little while from mine but gonna pick that up tomorrow and will order the Moteuka hops from over east. Seeing as I will be dry hopping with pellets, how much do you guys reckon I should be using? The packs come in 90g. Also, is it okay to just throw the pellets straight into the primary fermenter or should I be using a "hops bag" of some sort? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidK20 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Btw dudes, sampled the Pale Ale on the weekend and the head has got much better so I would say you guys are on a winner regarding time in the bottle. Gonna leave a few bottles aside to sample in a couple months. The rest I will try week by week. Gonna need few more empty bottles in couple weeks to bottle the next brew so should hopefully work out okay :fingers crossed: [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I used to use a bag, but then I did a heap of brews that I didn't bother dry hopping at all. I have just thrown them in loose as well but that ended up getting hop matter in the bottles. Now I use these. I bottled my first brew using them for dry hopping today, and there was no hop matter anywhere but in these strainers that I could find. It was like I hadn't even dry hopped it. I think I might have put too much hops in them though, they were a bit squashed in. Next brew that I dry hop I am gonna try 10g in each one (I bought 5) and probably throw 3 or 4 of them in the FV. They're easy to clean too, simply chuck the hop matter out and give them a rinse off, it comes right off a lot easier than it does on hop bags. But yeah, overall I'm really happy with how they worked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidK20 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks for the response Otto. Will check that out. Looks like the way to go. [cool] Really appreciate the advice mate!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 No worries mate! There's a whole heap of them around but those are the ones I got. Now just to wait a couple of weeks to sample the brew to see how much difference it made to the aroma! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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